On this week's Full Time Focus, Jillian Sakovits catches up with Racing Louisville and USWNT winger Emma Sears. The 24-year-old talks about her impressive start to the 2025 NWSL season and takes the listener inside the environment that head coach Bev Yanez has fostered in Louisville. Sears also talks about breaking into the USWNT having never played at the youth levels growing up, and the message that head coach Emma Hayes is sending to players who are competing for a place. PLUS: Jillian has all the latest headlines and stories to watch heading into the soccer weekend, from major USWNT transfer news to a cursed away trip for the Washington Spirit and the rivalry in the USL-Super League final. _______________ Referenced on the show: OL Lyonnes in talks with Ajax over transfer of USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes: Sources _______________ HOST: Jillian Sakovits GUEST: Emma Sears PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen _______________ Get in touch: ⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠ Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠here⁠ Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As England prepares to defend its European title, the nation has been rocked by the sudden retirements of high-profile veterans Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, and the withdrawal of vice-captain Mille Bright. As pressure intensifies on head coach Sarina Wiegman ahead of Euro 2025, many are wondering: Is England really in crisis? On a special edition of Full Time, Tamerra Griffin is joined by The Athletic's Megan Feringa and Jacob Whitehead to unpack how England got to this point, and where Wiegman's team might be heading. What has changed since the Lionesses won Euro 2022? Has opinion soured on Wiegman? Is this amount of noise normal for any high-profile defending champion? Who will step up to be the leaders for England in Switzerland this summer? _______________ Articles referenced on the show: England have a strong core despite retirements – Sarina Wiegman seems to know it Chelsea defender Millie Bright undergoes knee surgery following England withdrawal Introducing England Women’s Euro 2025 squad: Every player analysed England manager Sarina Wiegman’s ‘honest conversations’ come with mixed results In Mary Earps’ departure, Sarina Wiegman faces the toughest challenge of her England tenure Inside Mary Earps’ shock England retirement: Anger from Wiegman, mixed feelings from team-mates _______________ HOST: Tamerra Griffin GUESTS: Megan Feringa, Jacob Whitehead PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen _______________ Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠ Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Full Time, hosts Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan are joined by friend of the show Sam Mewis, the former USWNT player turned podcaster and editor-in-chief with The Women's Game. Mewis reflects on the past 18 months since she retired from soccer and stepped into a new role on the media side. How has she evolved as a journalist and presenter over that time? What tensions has she encountered along the way? Where is the evolving media landscape of women's soccer heading? After a knee injury ended her career prematurely, Mewis also talks about her post-career move to Burlington, Vermont, and how the state "healed all wounds." The trio also talk Vermont Green FC women, where Mewis is currently coaching a summer exhibition series, and the emotions that come when you step back on the pitch again but not as a player. The show closes out with Mewis discussing her current favorite NWSL players and her favorite goal of her career. _______________ Articles referenced on the show: Sam Mewis, World Cup winner with USWNT and NWSL champion, retires from professional soccer _______________ HOSTS: Tamerra Griffin, Meg Linehan GUEST: Sam Mewis PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen _______________ Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠ Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.